"Mules un de World"--profile of employed African-American elder/adult dependent caregivers : the impact of family and employment role responsibilities / Carol Bennett-Speight.

Format:

• Book
• Manuscript
• Microformat
• Thesis/Dissertation

Author/Creator:

• Bennett-Speight, Carol.

Contributor:

• Goldberg-Glen, Robin, advisor.
• University of Pennsylvania.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

• Penn dissertations--Social work.
• Social work--Penn dissertations.

Local Subjects:

• Penn dissertations--Social work.
• Social work--Penn dissertations.

Physical Description:

iv, 143 leaves, 13 unnumbered leaves : illustrations ; 29 cm

Production:

1996.

Summary:

• The United States is currently in the midst of rapid demographic changes including an aging population, an increase in diverse family types, more women in the work force and a greater ethnic diversity in the work force. The interplay of these trends will significantly influence the informal arrangement of long-term care and assistance by employed caregivers. Currently, limited empirical data is available on the interplay of work and family demands on employed African-American adult caregivers.
• This study combines qualitative and quantitative methods and explores how the culmination of family and employment responsibilities impacts employed African-Americans providing informal adult care. Stress, coping and adaptation processes as applied to role theory served as the theoretical framework for this study. One hundred and fifty-two (n = 152) African-American respondents from a cross-sectional survey (Berkeley, 1992) and three focus groups (n = 19) indicating that they were providing informal caregiving assistance was utilized in this study.
• Results indicate that African American women in support staff positions are significantly more prevalent among employed African Americans providing caregiving responsibilities. These findings are consistent with the literature, which shows that most African-American women are in low-paying, clerical or support staff positions with little power or authority in the workplace.
• Qualitative and quantitative results indicate that over half of the respondents indicate multiple family role responsibilities such as living with children or grandchildren with the care recipients having major health conditions, needing greater assistance in household chores and help with personal care. In addition to their adult caregiving demands, the majority of the respondents worked over 40 hours per week. Over half of the respondents were assisted by family members and felt that their supervisor/and or co-workers were concerned and cared about their welfare. Majority of the respondents were able to take time off during work hours for personal reasons by utilizing, sick, vacation or unpaid leave. Caregiving responsibilities interfered with their social and family relationships, personal free time and work productivity. The most endorsed workplace policy was the ability to utilize a flexible work schedule.
• Reduction of role stress was related to the demands of having fewer children, less need for home maintenance and improvement, less direct adult care, having assistance in caregiving and having the supervisor's interest in the life of the caregiver.
• The focus groups overwhelmingly expressed that they encountered discriminatory work place practices as a result of their caregiving responsibilities. The employed African-American caregivers strongly endorsed religion/prayer as the most important coping mechanism.
• The implications of the study suggest that public policies and workplace initiatives need to target African-American caregivers and provide equitable access to benefits and services.

Notes:

• Thesis (D.S.W. in Social Work) -- University of Pennsylvania, 1996.
• Includes bibliographical references.

Local Notes:

University Microfilms order no.: 96-26618.

OCLC:

187438037